Picture from Escape FB page

[cpaharley2008]

What is wrong with this picture, posted by the Escape Factory for Sunday's Sunset picture....

[Iowa Dave]

Only leveled off of one axle and no chock on back tandem. Can’t tell if he’s hooked up or not is that the moon top center?
Iowa Dave

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

What is wrong with this picture, posted by the Escape Factory for Sunday's Sunset picture....

Reace ain't there.

Hopefully he is relaxing at Ain'tsworth Hot Springs!

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Only leveled off of one axle and no chock on back tandem. Can’t tell if he’s hooked up or not is that the moon top center?
Iowa Dave

Exactly, only raising one wheel is what we do to change a tire, not camp inside. What is upsetting is no one else mentioned this mistake and it was posted on the Escape Trailer fb page?

[Rossue]

Not always true; with a small difference in slope we sometimes just use a ramp on one rear tire.

[Radar1]

It does look like a black chock behind both rear tires.
I do have a question about levelers though since I'll soon be getting my first tandem axle trailer.
Our daughter has a steep driveway so I'll have to crank the front jack pretty high. In a case like that, should I just put the Anderson levelers on the front tires since when I jack the front up the wheels are level with each other?

[Rossue]

Slopes can be tricky to dangerous. Sometimes the tongue jack will begin to slide when uncoupling and in a direction opposite of what you expected. I would definitely get BAL X-Chocks and cinch them down tight in the middle of the tire. And that is after "loading" weight on a good rubber(not plastic) chock.

[Rossue]

On a recent visit to Horton BLM outside of Bishop we had a downslope situation and despite using the BAL X-Chocks, I couldn't make it work as the ground was too granular and things kept sliding. The X-chock was putting a significant dent in one tire due to the extreme load on one side. We moved after several tries.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Not always true; with a small difference in slope we sometimes just use a ramp on one rear tire.

That's entirely appropriate.

In this case, there's a lot of height difference between the two layers of blocks for one tire and none for the other, and the blocked tire appears to be further up in the wheel well than the other so it's not just compensating for slope... but these things can be hard to judge in a photo.

[diannelgraham]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Only leveled off of one axle and no chock on back tandem. Can’t tell if he’s hooked up or not is that the moon top center?
Iowa Dave

Actually I was connected to the truck and yes the site was very uneven side to side. Anything else I was doing wrong?

[arniesea]

Originally Posted by Radar1

It does look like a black chock behind both rear tires.
I do have a question about levelers though since I'll soon be getting my first tandem axle trailer.
Our daughter has a steep driveway so I'll have to crank the front jack pretty high. In a case like that, should I just put the Anderson levelers on the front tires since when I jack the front up the wheels are level with each other?

That is exactly what I do on my steep drive.

[arniesea]

Originally Posted by diannelgraham

Actually I was connected to the truck and yes the site was very uneven side to side. Anything else I was doing wrong?

It is likely there was nothing “wrong” with your setup. It is so hard to tell from a picture. Generally one should put levelers under both wheels on the same side to level the trailer side to side. However if one wheel is in a depression, leveling just that wheel makes sense.

With the trailer hooked to the vehicle, there is no need for chocks. But personally I chock my wheels every time as a habit, even when hooked up. That’s a personal choice.

Cheers!

[Iowa Dave]

I think you’re doing fine. Like Arnie I chock up and put the stabilizers down and level both wheels with some kind of support where necessary. The fact that you’ve remained hooked up makes all the difference in safety. I personally never get too excited unless I have to back up or down a steep slope. Then I remain hooked up because sometimes it’s real hard to re hook if the trailer and the hitch are “in a bayou” as one of my employees used to say.

The picture is from a full campground where the host let me camp on a tent site which was still open, “if that Toyote can back her up in there”. (Pronounced like coyoteee) Chocked the trailer and the tow vehicle that night.

That’s our 2012 Highlander pulling the 21 out to Chilliwack to get the Solar installed. Site is at the Grand Coulee Dam.

And yes that is a fine sunset picture for sure.
Iowa Dave

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by diannelgraham

Anything else I was doing wrong?

What's wrong is that the pandemic has driven the forum to a place where we are critiquing chocking/stabilizing techniques from a random photo! People must be getting bored and we need to get out camping. I apparently need more to do so I adopted a canoe and bought another boat.

[Iowa Dave]

I have two boats, don’t need any more. However if someone needs some gardening tips I can put them to work out here. Also if you’d like to learn to operate a Z turn mower, I can give you practical experience. The pandemic is cramping my camping. I feel a rap coming on.
Iowa Dave

[Ronn]

Originally Posted by diannelgraham

Actually I was connected to the truck and yes the site was very uneven side to side. Anything else I was doing wrong?

This could have been me on our maiden trip. We were on a site that was much less side to side level than this. I used every leveling block we had on one wheel. Just looking it was definitely visible that my tire didn't touch the ground. I did read later that it wasn't recommended for long term. I do not recall, but hopefully that was just an overnight stop.

[cpaharley2008]

Dave,
I did not know you were into rap music, or was that supposed to be nap.........

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

I have two boats, don’t need any more. However if someone needs some gardening tips I can put them to work out here. Also if you’d like to learn to operate a Z turn mower, I can give you practical experience. The pandemic is cramping my camping. I feel a rap coming on.
Iowa Dave

Hi Jim
Well having about 89 neglected interests each time I come up with a genius idea ( especially one that costs money) Rita questions my motive. I say “I might get into that” . Lucky for the rest of the world, rap music not an interest. But when camping and cramping came close enough to rhyming, I was inspired.
Iowa Dave

[wellduh326]

Ya'll just keep all this good training advice coming! I've been parking a 17' Casita for 5 years now and can whip it into most any tiny tight spot. I've gotten into some pretty awkward situations too where I had to just about jack-knife to get out. But never have I pulled, backed or parked a tandem axle, much less 21' and I've got to say, I'm a little nervous. I've got a nice big parking lot all picked out for Wednesday after I take delivery. First thing I want to check out is the turning radius. Like I said, I've been known to get into some tight spots.

[wellduh326]

I just noticed the time on that post says 12:10 AM. What world time zone is this forum set for?